Food for Thought

Yet again I find myself in a bit of a blogging funk.  So, while I have nothing else of interest to talk about, I thought it would be a good idea to post some recipes I've made lately.  All of these are husband approved.

French Toast Casserole

5 cups bread cubes (approximately 10 slices)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp margarine, softened (I used butter and it was fine)
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease 8x8 pan.  Pour bread cubes in pan.  In separate bowl mix together eggs, milk, salt, vanilla, and 2 Tbsp sugar.  Pour over bread cubes ensuring all bread is covered.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Place pats of butter randomly on top of bread cubes.  Mix together remaining sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over top.  Bake uncovered 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.  Serve warm with syrup.

Sausage & Cream Cheese Crescents*

1 lb sausage (I used plain old country sausage - I think mild)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 pkgs original crescent rolls

Brown sausage in skillet and drain well.  Mix in cream cheese.  Separate crescent rolls per package instructions.  Place a spoon full of sausage mixture on large end of each crescent roll and roll crescent from large end to small end.  Place on greased baking sheet and bake per crescent roll directions.  The husband put syrup on his and said it made them even better (apparently we really like syrup at our house).

* I found these on a blog recently, but I can't remember which one so if this is your recipe please let me know so I can give you credit for it.

Cheesy Baked Pasta

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground Italian sausage (I used mild)
1 16 oz jar salsa (I forgot this and only had 1/2 a jar at home so I used it as well as a can of Rotel)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
16 oz box campanelle pasta
1 small yellow onion (I only used 1/2)
1 green bell pepper
1 clove minced garlic
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 jar marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to directions.  Meanwhile, brown Italian sausage, ground beef, onion & bell pepper and add garlic towards end of browning.  Drain meat mixture very well and mix with pasta.  Mix together parsley, oregano and basil and sprinkle over pasta/meat mixture.  In separate bowl combine salsa, Alfredo sauce, and marinara sauce (and Rotel in my case) then toss with pasta/meat mixture.  Pour into a greased 9x13 (I actually used whatever the next size up is and I'm glad I did because this makes a lot and I'm not sure it would have all fit in my 9x13).  Top with both cheeses.  Cover with greased foil and bake for 1 hour at 375.

Salsa Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 and still had TONS)
1 16 oz jar salsa
1 bag frozen corn
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (I think I used Rotel for this as well because that's what I had)
8 oz sour cream
1/2 packet taco seasoning (next time I think I might put in the whole pkg just to see what happens because I really couldn't taste this)
dash olive oil

Coat bottom of crock pot with olive oil.  Place chicken in crock pot.  Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.  Cook on low for 5 1/2 hours.  Shred chicken and cook on high for another 30 minutes.

This makes a TON so next time I'll either freeze 1/2 of it or I'll just 1/2 the recipe because we ate this stuff for a week solid - good thing it was yummy!  We followed Ashley Paige's lead and started out eating it on flour tortillas with taco fixin's.  When we ran out of those, we switched it up slightly and made it into nachos. 

*****

I think this is everything I've made lately because I've been a terrible Susie Homemaker due to sheer laziness.  If anyone has any quick and easy recipes they'd like to send my way, feel free! 

And because no post nowadays is complete without a picture of my cute kid, here's my little sous-chef and our first born who has totally gotten the shaft since A was born if I'm being completely honest.  A totally sits on the counter in her bouncy chair and distracts helps me while I cook while Lexi tries to knock me over in hopes of me dropping something for her to eat cleans up after me!

Happy Tuesday!